Shortly after 9 a.m. Saturday, a black BMW traveling north toward Interstate 80 on S.R. 224 crashed into another vehicle and then careened onto a median, according to Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden. The vehicle hit and killed a man who was panhandling there.
“The pedestrian was transported in critical condition and died early yesterday morning at the hospital,” Roden said on Tuesday.
The Utah Department of Public Safety identified the victim as Chad Daines, a 56-year-old man from Arizona.
After hitting the pedestrian, the BMW continued beyond the median and into the southbound lanes of traffic, where it collided with an SUV driven by a 48-year-old Texas man.
Roden said the driver of that SUV fled the scene on foot. Troopers found approximately 208 pounds of marijuana in the vehicle when they searched it. The driver was arrested later in the day when he attempted to claim the vehicle from where it was impounded.
“As the driver went back to the tow yard and inquired about his vehicle, officers were able to respond to the tow yard and take him into custody,” Roden said.
KPCW isn’t naming the driver because he had not been charged with a crime as of Tuesday evening. A Summit County attorney said transporting more than 100 pounds of marijuana through the state is a second-degree felony, which is punishable by a prison sentence of one to 15 years.
208 pounds of marijuana could be worth $1.2 million if sold at medical retail prices.
The driver of the SUV that contained the marijuana was booked into the Summit County Jail and remained there as of Tuesday.
Roden did not say where the marijuana was located in the vehicle, but said it would likely have taken up a considerable amount of space. He said Utah Highway Patrol Troopers and the State Bureau of Investigation were investigating the incident, including whether there were ties to organized crime.
The driver of the BMW that hit the pedestrian is being investigated, including for possibly running a red light. Roden said investigators would refer the case to the Summit County Attorney’s Office to screen for charges once the investigation is complete. That driver was not in custody.